SALT LAKE CITY—The Carl Hall that the Pitt players have watched on film the past few days looks very little like the Carl Hall they will see in their opening game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Energy Solutions Arena.

The Wichita State senior cut his hair Monday. It’s shocking, to say the least.

The 6-8, 238-pound monster of a man has been known for two things during his time at Wichita State—physically dominating the Missouri Valley Conference in the post and his Medusa-esque mane of dreadlocks bouncing around in all directions as he chased down every loose ball and every wayward rebound.

“I haven't seen this person in five years, you know?” he said Wednesday. “I had my hair for five years, so I kinda—I haven't got used to it yet. I lay in the bed at night and I rub my head, wondering, ‘What did I do?’, because I had it for five years.”

The Panthers will recognize his game, though. They’ve seen his style of play all season, throughout a rough-and-tumble Big East schedule.

“Obviously, our league is known for physicality but (Hall) ‘throws it up and goes and gets it’—that's the phrase we use,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. “He's always looking for an angle and likes to play through contact, draw contact, offensively and defensively. So, again, a relentless rebounder and that's what we have on the scouting report.

“Offensive glass is where he seems to get his points, his putbacks and get to the free-throw line.”

And that’s where Hall’s real impact will be found Thursday night, a battle between No. 8 and No. 9 seeds. Both teams are top-20 offensive rebounding clubs, but the Shockers are better at keeping opponents from collecting rebounds and the putback opportunities that follow. That effort starts with Hall, a sixth-year senior who will have the challenge of keeping 7-foot Pitt freshman Steven Adams off the boards.

“He is very large,” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said of Adams. “I haven't seen him in person, but Carl is maybe 6-8 now that he's cut his hair. It's going to be a sixth-year senior vs. a highly decorated freshman with tremendous potential and size. That will be one key matchup. There will be others, and I know Carl is ready.”